By TOM HAYES
THE Latrobe River Bridge, on Tyers Road between Traralgon and Tyers has faced a second temporary closure since reopening in December 2023, due to water levels in the La Trobe River.
No updates have been immediately alerted on the VicEmergency app regarding the closure, however signs have now been placed on either end of Tyers Rd.
It is unknown how long the closure will last, however water has be seen spilling onto the road, forcing the road to be deemed unsafe.
The road was temporarily closed this morning (July 18), before reopening and reclosing once again between the hours of 7am and 9am.
Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, said the “avoidable” flooding of the causeway meant completion of rectification works on the bridge kerbside would now be delayed at least a further two weeks.
“Minister for Roads, Melissa Horne, is acutely aware that Labor completely bungled the rebuild of the Tyers bridge by not raising the causeway because it was too expensive,” Mr Cameron said.
“I’m anticipating the Minister will respond to complaints about the bridge being shut again by saying it’s “flood resilient”, but that is an absolute furphy.
“Residents have been telling the state government for decades that a new bridge would be useless without a raised causeway because it wouldn’t constantly flood.
“And here we are again, with a bridge we can’t use for the second time in six months.
“The reality is that corners were cut on this project because Labor wasn’t willing to stump up the funds.
“Contractors are just as frustrated as residents – they’re fed up with being blamed for the constant issues and having to apply band-aid after band-aid because they haven’t been given the scope to do the job properly.”
There currently is a Watch and Act alert on the VicEmergency app, describing a Riverine Flood from the La Trobe River in Yallourn to the Traralgon Creek. The Watch and Act alert is consistent throughout Erica, Yallourn North, including parts of Traralgon, Morwell, Hazelwood North, and Churchill.
More to come.
